Ahead of the festival of Basant Panchmi when people fly kites in large numbers, the Punjab government has ordered a ban on the sale, storage and purchase of Chinese nylon kite strings coated with powdered glass which has led to several accidents in the recent past besides injuries to wildlife.

Disclosing this on Monday, state Environment Minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer said the above said orders have been given in accordance with the orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on 20 January 2015.

He said the director general of police has been directed to immediately issue directions to all the station house officers to conduct raids within their area of jurisdiction. This apart, all the deputy commissioners in the state have been directed to inform the general public about the dangerous nature of the Chinese dori (string used for flying kites), so that they can educate their children not to use such kind of dori for flying kites.

Hayer said it’s a conductor of electricity which would have a great bearing on the safety of human life, particularly the birds.

The minister said the Environment Department on Monday passed the directions regarding complete ban on the manufacture, sale, storage, purchase, supply, import and use of kite flying thread made out of nylon, plastic or any other synthetic material including the popularly known “Chinese dor or manjha” an any other synthetic kite flying thread which is quoted with synthetic substance and is non-biodegradable, in Punjab.

All executive magistrates and other officers have been authorised to ensure implementation of the above directions, Hayer said. He said the National Green Tribunal in its order on 11 July  2017 had also directed the state governments to take appropriate steps against the defaulters under the provision of Environment (Protection) Act, 1986; Prevention of Cruelty of Animal Act, 1960; Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, the Indian Penal Code or any other provision of law.

Meanwhile, sharing monthly details on action taken against sellers trading in the Chinese kite string,  inspector General of Police (IGP) Headquarters Sukhchain Singh Gill said the police teams have recovered 11364 Chinese dor bundles after registering 234 First Information Reports (FIRs) and arresting 255 people indulged in selling this fatal kite flying string.

As per the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Punjab Police will take strict action against those buying or selling Chinese kite flying strings, he added.